Shamrock pea

Just to give a breather from all the iris, here is something completely different. Hailing from Africa and Asia this is Parochetus communis, the shamrock pea. It is easy to see why it got its common name although since shamrock is probably a pea-relative anyway perhaps it is a bit confusing. Anyway, with apologies to my Irish friends, shamrock is a bit of a weedy thing and this plant is a lot nicer in the garden. It is a ‘not quite hardy’ plant that benefits from a little winter protection but then will grow like crazy in spring, sending out long stems, that root as they wander, over the soil and produce small, vibrant, cobalt blue flowers through spring, summer and autumn. There are never loads of them but the sprinkling of flowers sparkles over the neat foliage which, in good light, is marked with red.

I bought my plant a month ago and promptly ripped it into six pieces and they are all now as big as the original. They will now go into hanging baskets in a semi-shaded spot where I will expect them to trail over the edge and form a sheet of foliage and flowers. It is not a tricky plant but it does not like drying out. Although a bit of a spreader, it would be nice between rocks in semi shade and I might introduce it to a patch of helxine and see who comes out tops!

Geoff’s rating

8/10

Garden rating

6/10 – flowers are a bit patchy

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About thebikinggardener

Professional gardener, author, writer, broadcaster and speaker based in Ireland for three years. Keen gardener who wants to grow everything and anything at least once! Keen biker too with beautiful bike. Has anything brought humankind more fun and pleasure than a garden and the internal combustion engine
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The Biking Gardener

Professional gardener, author, writer, broadcaster and speaker based in Ireland for three years. Keen gardener who wants to grow everything and anything at least once! Keen biker too with beautiful bike. Has anything brought humankind more fun and pleasure than a garden and the internal combustion engine

Well I do try to grow as much as possible or I can’t really comment when I have my other head on. And yes, I wondered if you would notice the 10s. Had an email problem and almost lost all my emails but I hope to pop up your way this weekend. I hope the open weekend goes well.

I'm Leah, a freelance Photographer born and raised in Macon, GA, USA. I spent 8 years in the wild west and this is my photo journal on life, love, and the spirit of Wyoming. Welcome to Uprooted Magnolia.